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REVIEW OF ASTEC AN EVALUATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL ASTEC REVIEW COMMITTEE October 1992 22501845073 XNA BY REVIEW OF ASTEC AN EVALUATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL ASTEC REVIEW COMMITTEE October 1992 INFORMATION CENTRE 16 MAR 1993 < Weicome Centre for Medicai Science Australian Government Publishing Service For further information concerning this report please contact: The Secretary, Australian Science and Technology Council, PO Box E 439, Queen Victoria Terrace ACT 2600 © Commonwealth of Australia 1992 ISBN 0 644 25753 9 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Australian Government Publishing Service. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Manager, Commonwealth Information Services, Australian Government Publishing Service, GPO Box 84, Canberra ACT 2601. Printed in Australia by P. J. GRILLS, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra ASTEC REVIEW COMMITTEE Chairman Sir Rupert Myers KBE FTS PO Box E439 hearers Queen Victoria Terrace Dr John Bell CANBERRA ACT 2600 Dr AR Kjar Professor Ian Ross FAA - Tel: (06) 273 4966 Mr Eric Thorn Mr Michael Waller Fax: (06) 273 4816 eich peee d 1 October 1992 Mr John Madden Dear Minister We, the members of the committee you appointed on 28 April 1992 to conduct an evaluation of the Australian Science and Technology Council, have completed our task and have the honour of submitting herewith our report. We feel we should draw your attention to the fact that during the course of our study we received some submissions suggesting that the entire science and technology policy advisory machinery be reviewed. While we have not done this - the review has been Carried out in accordance with the terms of reference you set down for us - we have been mindful, in our evaluation and reporting, of the wider context in which ASTEC currently operates. We have been greatly assisted in our task by and are most grateful to the present and former members of ASTEC and the many other organisations and individuals who have made submissions and have given valuable information and advice. We commend especially to your attention the excellent service rendered to us by our secretary, Mr John Madden, to whom we owe our warmest thanks. Yours sincerely Ah pet 1o Loko Rupert H Myers J D Bell A Mee iG Ross Uf Ale IATPIMMOD WIVES DAT2A CfhT xo OF i ,, ae soansl shots meant) rs = oat TDA ASAAaKAD © Camecewe & Agaredts 02 = ra! SBROrMEFe GO) dak - | Aat argh EVE (0) xed 9; i ie na etek come. “et Cia aly wat oe ponedieandns dt e Creucion A iS Na Yaa. ey be reprodaetb y any proces ‘ rao une 6h k ate eo Ort be Ausaing Cowerimenc asbacht eat . fobtumweg Secvee Requtsie gid tequllics coppeing c si abe freee gd give cheated De eeideeeted Sf (he Meenger, ; ‘oppenewcelth Iviceeemne Servicda, Adige VE CoeT et 1s ; nee 7: t, a Ge Cae “ct wT.’ : ‘ep e4 + a ‘i =i : as toubioo oF £201 kagA BE no batninggs woe s&tiannos od Jo srediiam oi aw Jag) we batolqines avad [ionnoD ygotondesT bow consis? dailetetA of to souediave fogs wo diwenad guitsimduel ow Wonod-adt avast en ow vbite wo Yo seuoo oet yninwh tardy ton) ott oF mokieona wing Waly Divode aw fst aw % qoilng ygolowdos bas sonsiog guns set isd) gabesggos anpleaiondiie artioe bsvissat "= cued aad weivet ott - ait aeoh ton svad( sw oldW bewsSld vyéneidroad : yrostvba > Syad vert sw - ag wl awed ise voy sonsisis: Io kenot od) (bw sonetnosos at too bore? 7 vitngnws DATZA doidw of txeaos tebiw oc) Io .yoinogsr bas nolsulavew e oi JuTboime : qo bos Josamg sett o> tylgieg om ne bon yd deat wo pl bereiaes Yas aged svacd_sW ond ot elaubtviles tne adoltzaloano aalte view 4 bas DETZAt o asdmam ieendl heommed oV? saivia bes solisomolnt sidseiey abvig: sved Bae enoteeintie Beck nicl iM visas, we go ae oo bebest sorviss tnellsoxy 8@ AOSWoy OF yiiRrjeq 7 xinait o0new 120 wo Owe motive of cobbetd 7. inieysail oe . ys ‘wfortaniz’ " oes Pict itted tied \) | fo ens M \ ay ¥X eae be a Ee \ Ww ; : (wen 6a 7 a REVIEW OF ASTEC CONTENTS Letter of Transmittal Glossary of Acronyms Executive Summary CHAPTER ONE: Purpose and Scope of the Review ° Origins of the Review ° Interpretations of the scope of the Review ° Methodology of the Review ° Terms of Reference CHAPTER TWO: ASTEC’s Establishment and Purpose ° History of ASTEC ° Rationale for ASTEC’s establishment ° Functions, missions and goals - Principal themes covered by ASTEC reports CHAPTER THREE: Structures, Procedures and Resources ° Structures and procedures - Insider and outsider roles of ASTEC ° Membership ° Resources CHAPTER FOUR: Program Relevance ° The changing S&T policy environment ° ASTEC’s role in a changing environment CHAPTER FIVE: ASTEC’s Approach to its Tasks . Introduction ° Issue identification ° Determination of the work program ° Identification of stakeholder needs and role of sponsors ° Systematic structuring of topics ° Gathering the necessary data ° Formulating effective policy advice ° Communicating the results in a timely and understandable way ill CHAPTER SIX: Effectiveness of ASTEC’s Outputs and Outcomes 27 Introduction os The effectiveness of ASTEC’s outputs 27 Quality of reports Zz The effectiveness of ASTEC’s outcomes 30 Utility, including feasibility of recommendations 30 Impact on policy development 3] CHAPTER SEVEN: Conclusions and Recommendations 33 Introduction Recommendation 1 Recommendation 2 Recommendation 3 Recommendation 4 Validity of the findings Appendix 1; The management strategy of the Review Review committee arrangements, methodology and timetable Resources used List of submissions Appendix 2: Identification of the Terms of Reference within the Report INDEX iV GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS ASTEC Australian Science and Technology Council BMR Bureau of Mineral Resources CRP Centre for Research Policy CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Australia DSTO Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Australia NISTEP National Institute for Science, Technology and Engineering Policy, Japan NSF National Science Foundation, United States of America OSTP Office of Science and Technology Policy, United States of America PMSC Prime Minister’s Science Council PMSEC Prime Minister’s Science and Engineering Council R&D Research and development S&T Rcience and technology TCC Technological Change Committee (a former standing committee of ASTEC) Ayqrandi 2: idenvifvcation ott heT eese at INCOR